Spring Break = Love

Even though we didn't have the warm weather I was hoping for, I was determined to make spring break as much about "us" as possible. I finished my grading the first couple nights of break so I could put my school bag downstairs and just enjoy being a mom for a few days. It was awesome. On Monday we had a playdate with Ashlynn at the McDonalds Play Place. Eva ate a half a jar of food before the playing looked just too enticing, so they were off. She had never really played on any sort of equipment before, so she was a little shy at first. But Ashlynn was crawling up the ladder and going down the slide and having a blast and Eva (we learned) gives into peer pressure quite easily. Seeing all the other little kids toddling around the room made her very much want to join in. She did some great walking around from station to station, banging on the keys on the little piano bell thing they have, spinning the balls of the abacus, and even (after coaxing) going down the slide. She was all smiles when we were done.

We spent a lot of time cleaning the house, partly for spring and partly for Eva's party. She wasn't feeling very well Tuesday and Wednesday, so it made for some crying-filled afternoons. I thought maybe her ear infections were back or something, but we couldn't get in to the doctor to find out anyway. A couple doses of Tylenol and a trip to Grandma's for dinner and we were back on the road to normal.

We took advantage of the sunny afternoons playing outside a couple of times. She rolled around with her dinosaur in the driveway for about 20 minutes one afternoon before Daddy went to work and thought she was hot stuff. We also took some rides around in the wagon we found in the back of Grandpa's shed. On Thursday Eva sat outside on a blanket (much better than I thought she would) while Grandma and I cleaned up our yard. Our yard has been neglected since we moved in, mostly because we had a newborn last summer and landscaping wasn't a priority of mine. So, we pulled out lots of dead plants and grass and made way for some new life. This morning when I got home from work, a daffodil was already blooming!

Then on Friday we decided to do something we've been putting off for months: clean our carpeting. We have always hated our pink carpet with a fire-filled passion. When we signed the papers for the house, it was understood it was going. It was not understood yet, however, that a baby was coming. So, the expensive of new carpet got shoved down on the ever multiplying list of "someday" purchases. The carpet has since slowly become more and more disgusting. Finally, we couldn't take it anymore and Rug Doctored all of the carpet we own. I am SOOO glad we did, but it was a huge pain in the butt! The carpets were too wet for Evalee to be able to do anything all afternoon, so we took an impromptu trip to the Bettendorf Children's Museum to burn some energy there. And burn energy she did indeed. She was timid at first, just like at the Play Place, but about 10 minutes in she was literally hugging stranger children and telling them, very clearly, "Hiiiii!" We strolled through the bigger kids exhibit, me being a little nervous there would be nothing quite her level for her to enjoy. Then, when I had almost given up hope, we found the toddler area. She was in heaven. Soft things to crawl on, a refrigerator full of magnets it was okay to play with, a broom to sweep with, giant teeth to brush, a slide, bead mazes, a dance pad, play food.... so much to choose from. We were there playing for over two hours, and I'm convinced we could have been there for another two if she hadn't missed her nap and was completely exhausted. We will definitely have to go back soon. Then it was dinner at Grandma's, since we couldn't get to the stove or her bathtub, and off back home.

I really loved spending my entire day with her. We had such a good time playing and reading books and taking walks and having long drawn out conversations in the bath tub. It made me wish I could be with her all day every day, but I know that's just not a realistic idea and so I will instead relish the time that I do get and look forward even moreso to a summer filled with love and laughs. It's only 7 weeks away :).